Hello, my name is Spiritrunner181 and this is my first foray into the Thomas and Friends section of Fanfiction. This will be a short fic inspired by the song "Laughter Lines" by Bastille to which I got the title from. I suggest listening to it before, during or after reading. Focusing on what Thomas has meant to many viewers over the years in particular me. Well hope you enjoy it!
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It was an overcast day on the Island of Sodor as Thomas pulled up for his morning run from Knapford station. Thomas was awaiting his passengers when a voice called out to him, one he thought he could had heard before but couldn't quite place.
"Hello Thomas old friend!" A young woman stepped through the crowd, brown curly hair, hazel eyes, and a bright green shirt where her calling cards.
"Excuse me miss, but do I know you? You seem familier but I can't exactly recall from where. Thomas responded, a confused expression on his face.
"Oh thats alright Thomas, I knew you a long time ago, perhaps this would refresh your memory" She pulled out an old photograph from her pocket to which she showed to the bemused engine beside of her. Oh the photo a picture of herself albeit much younger around the age of 3 with a much older man presumably her grandfather alongside himself. Suddenly memories started to piece themselves together for Thomas.
"You can't be little Caitlin can you? You two used to ride my train home on the old branchline. Tell me what brings you back here? He asked, excited to see an old friend.
"Ah so you do remember eh, I thought maybe you had forgotten me in your old age? she chuckled. "Bah, my name is Thomas not Edward, im still as sharp as the day I rolled out of the works!" he grumbled.
"To answer your question Thomas I came back to see family and settle some business matters, when I found this old picture, it even has a quote from you" she told him watching the engines smile grow wider.
"Well I knew i was important but never enough to quote" He remarked cheekily. "Tell me what it says?" "I thought your mind" suddenly the guards whistle rang out.
"Hop on Caitlin, we can chat along the way" Thomas said quickly as his fireman brought her into the cab. Once they were underway she called out to Thomas "It says ill see you in the future when you're older!".
"Ah yes i remember now, your grandfather, Bill was it? Had brought you down to the station to see the "twains" as you put it back then. You were so cute back then, what happened? Thomas replied in his famous cheeky manor.
Laughing "Oh Thomas a lot has happened since then." The rest of the ride was full of stories from that time in her life, pulling into the next station Thomas was asking if she remembered the time she had climbed onto James front and poked him in the nose.
"Well she may not but I most certainly do!" remarked James from the next track over. Caitlin was overjoyed to see Sodors most splendid engine smirking at her in all of his bright red glory. Apart from Thomas, James was the other engine she had the most connections with as a child, his sparkling paint attracting her to him like a moth to flame.
"Hello James! Im so excited to see you, it's been so long!" as she ran over to the number 5 engine. "Of course you're excited to see me, everyone is" he smirked "You have grown up though, what brings you guys to Sodor, Caitlin?" She soon repeated what she had told Thomas. "Ah, yes I remember you running around the stations with your grandfather. Where is he by the way? I would like to see him. James requested while and Thomas agreed.
"If you two would consent to come with me I will take you to see him?" After a call to the fat controller who checked to see if their jobs were done for the day the two were cleared for the evening. Halfway through their trip they stopped at a water tower to refuel. The three were having a marvelous time chatting and catching up. Suddenly Caitlin directed them down a siding, around halfway down they stopped by an old cemetery. Both Thomas and James were grew very solemn both registering what this meant.
"He passed away this past week, the may you knew as my grandfather. He left me a note that he wanted shared with you, the two who made all of our past stories so enjoyable." Pulling out a ruffled piece of parchment she began to read "Ill see you in the future when you're older, and we are full of stories to be told, Ill be waiting with stories on my side, Caitlin, Thomas, and James better have developed some laughter lines from all the new ones you are going to make. Not goodbye, just see you later, Grandpa Bill"
Ashen faces in the cold breeze of the afternoon were present on the two engines.
"I am truly sorry Caitlin, I had no idea" James began but putting up a hand to the side of his boiler she silenced him. "Do you two remember this place?" she asked.
Thinking hard, something registered in Thomas' mind. "I believe this is where we used to drop you two off on picnics if im remembering correctly?"
"Yes thats right, it was our favorite place on earth, there used to be a large willow tree here that was cut down a few years after i had left Sodor. I was hoping you'd remember."she remarked.
"You see the reason I came back to Sodor was to remember the stories, you two have helped me with that. When I grew up I had forgotten those memories that were once so cherished by me. I had found myself drifting away from where I wanted to be in life, once again Sodor has come to my rescue when the "grown up" world has become too much. Ive comeback to make new stories for the next generation." she said as both engines listened intently.
"I had no idea we had that effect on people" Thomas mulled as he thought about the topic. Just how many people had he touched? Whether it be a smile on the platform, to an upset child or a ride to a carefree place to an adult away from their troubles?
"I have one more thing for you guys to see" Caitlin spoke up after a long silence. The two engines paid their respects and were on their way. Pulling into the next station Caitlin Disembarked from James Cab and walked around the station side. The two engines exchanged confused glances. After a few minutes Caitlin walked out with a young man beside her and a young boy.
"Thomas, James, I would like you to meet, Sean my husband and my son William, or Bill for short." The two engines faces lit up as the young boy pointed excitedly at the two. Thomas was busy making funny faces at young Bill causing him to giggle excitedly. Caitlin scooped him up and took him to see James, who he pointedly poked right in the nose. Thomas roared with laughter.
"Well I see who he takes after" Remarked James in a less than thrilled way. Caitlin then relayed that she and Sean had taken over her grandfather old house and were planning to stay on Sodor. The group carried on at the station until it was quite late and both parties were preparing to go home. Sean had went to start the car as Caitlin held young Bill, asleep in her arms.
"Good bye little one, Ill be seeing you." James said softly as he left the station as quietly as possible as to not wake him. He made a mental note as he left to watch out for the kid.
"Yes, we will be seeing you in the future, and we will both have stories to tell" Thomas spoke at a whisper. "Thank you for a wonderful day Thomas" Caitlin spoke.
"No thank you for sharing your memories with us back then, and for the future". With that he chuffed off to Tidmouth as Caitlin walked back to the car.
...Later at Tidmouth Sheds...
"Good bye Little One? My my James I didn't know you had gone so soft" Thomas ribbed at the bigger engine. The other engines were asleep or out on night runs.
"Ah shut it." James said half heartedly. James had been thinking about all of the kids and young adults he had come into contact with over the years. "Do you ever?" he began. "Wonder what happened to them all?" Thomas finished. "Yes a few times"
The rest of the night was filled with "do you remember?" and "oh yeah that kid!" or "have you seen him or her lately?" as the night wore on they both drifted wearily between sleep. "One last thing, are you going to keep track of young Bill?" James asked. "Oh yes definitely" Thomas remarked in between yawns. "We are supposed to be making new stories for Old Bill arn't we?" James agreed "That we are Thomas, that we are" The two drifted off that night to happy memories of years gone by and the promise of tomorrow.
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Well there you have it. One thing i will address is the use of only two engines in this and James were y two favorites as a child and for this particular story I thought it best to stick with a smaller group. Please comment, critique etc. Just no flames. Im into constructive criticism, not mean spirited rants.